Saturday, January 19, 2013

More On Justin Upton's Asking Price

If this is the asking price for Justin Upton, then it doesn't look like we'll see Upton in pinstripes this season...

According to a report from ESPN Chicago, the Diamondbacks and the Cubs have ended talks regarding a trade for Upton. It seems that the Cubs balked at Arizona's asking price... Starlin Castro. A 22-year old shortstop for a 25-year old outfielder? No wonder Chicago is moving on.

If it's going to take a player of that caliber to land Upton, then we may as well move on from the idea of acquiring him. Castro just signed a 7 year extension, with an option for an 8th, which would only bring him to age 30. And Starlin will only make $60 million during that time, while being worth more than half that in the past two seasons alone (according to Fangraphs value figures).

Of course, that could simply have been Arizona "shooting for the moon", or not liking anybody else they could have traded for. Meaning the Yankees are still in play. But after reading the big prospect proposal from Seattle, which Upton rejected, and now this news about Castro, I'm not so optimistic about a trade with New York happening.